The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-05-13

AIOSiucnl CleNcldHtiS tHIOuSh uA1
private secretary. Col. lamont,
makes the following explanation of
his failure to sign the river and bar
Dor bill:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, March ~, 1887.
To j. B. Danford, Esq, Rock Island, Ill.
My peGr Gir: / have received
and brought to the attention of the
President your recent letter, with
articles from the Rock Islander in
regard to the river and harbor bill,
aud more especially in reference to
the provision tor the Hennepin
Canal, and be directs me to thank
you for your fair and friendly atti-
tude in the matter. The bill was
not presented 10 him until the last
days OF the session, when he was
crOyded with measures of an i'm
perative nature, and did not reach
him IN time to make such an exam
inatiOn of its provision as was nee
essary to enable him to Judge the
necessity :and propriety of the ap-
preparations contained in the bill.
Very respectfully,
D. S. LAMONT,
Private Secretary.
This seems to be reasonable.
Still, it is none the less unfortunate
that the President who is credited
with watching legislation closely,
did not regard measure that, next
to the appropriation bill, is the most
serious that is brought before the
House with sufficient favor to
strain point and devote an hour
to It's consideration. There was no
bill of the whole session more i'm.
portant than this; not one that
involved so much TO the people OF
the Mississippi Valley, and we vent.
ure to say that except the tariff no
measure has been SO much discuss
ed by the public as the improve
ment of the Mississippi river. 1t is
very unfortunate, especially in view
of The known hostility of the East.
of New York especially, 10 anything
that makes for the progress OF the
Mississippi Valley. The bill is
reported to have been purposely
delayed Notwithstanding the effort
of the congressman from this State,
from Mississippi, Arkansas and
Louisiana, who did all they could
to put it through on time. 1t is
especially unfortunate in view of
the impression John Sherman had
insidiously made of the willingness
OF the Republicans to make quick
concessions OF appropriations to
the South, in order to assist and
hasten the boom now upon us. 1t
is unfortunate in so much as 1t
emphasizes the opposition of certain
Democrats to any appropriations
tor places south of the Potomac
and the Ohio, and the grndglng,
almost illiberal measure of apprO-
priatiens when they are made.
The Democrats in Congress and the
Democratic President, if they would
save the party intact, must keep
before them the fact that the South
has undergone radical change in
respect of business and business
relations. The once Confederate
States are no longer confined to
sugar, rice, hemp, tobacco aud cot
ton. They have walked up to the
value of the gifts of nature and are
taking advantage of them to rein
state themselves in the conditions
OF wealth aud property they enjoyed
before the civil war. In those days
the strict cOnslructiOnists secuted
with lortlly dignity the idea OF a
State accepting Federal aid. The
result was that the North aud next
the West got all they wanted of
appropriations. Their harbors were
improved. lighthouses and iOrts
were built aud where necessary rip
ran work was constructed to over
come the defects of nature. There
was sort of tacit agreement that
the South was to be wholly given
up to agriculture aud the North to
and manufactures. All
that sort of child's play has disap
peared. The South now has large
and manufacturing as
we'll rs agricultural Interests, aud
she demands that her rivers and
harbors, so long neglected shall be
cared for fully and promptly by the
Federal Government. On this head
she demands that the words of the
Democratic platform shall be some
thing more than glittering general
ities. They must be made actuali-
ties by liberal legislation. If they
are not, the leaders must prepare
for losses. The bloody shirt no
longer prevails, and selt-iuterest.
which has so much to do 10 keeping
men together IN political organiza-
tons, Is beginning TO assert It's
sway. Wise men learn lessons.
fools never. Self-iuterest has made
the Republican party what It Is as
a powerful political organization
The Democratic Harty cannot much
longer bold toRether on mere senti-
ment. The strict constructiOnists
aud the stupidity rigid economists
must 90 TO the rear II we are to
retain our majorities.